My best friend's mom

Out of my league

"I phoned your mom today, princess." Dianna said when she visited me the following day.

"And?" I said a bit too nonchalantly. She frowned a little but continued.

"She said that there is no way she would be able to come back at this moment of her trip." She stated with a sad face but there was some excitement in her voice.

"I could've told you that before you phoned her." I snapped rudely and looked away.

"Ah, there there... I will take good care of you. You know that." She took my hand in hers and held it against her cheek.

I don't know what this woman was doing to me but it was working. All my anger subsided in an instant. All of a sudden my absent mother didn't matter that much. I could cope without her. My thoughts travelled to yesterday's kiss. She was going on like nothing happened. Like she didn't just kiss her daughter's best friend the day before. She just sat there staring deep into my eyes and not saying one word. I wondered what was going on in her mind.

"What are you thinking about so deeply? If I may ask..." I sat up straight and pulled my hand away from her.

"Mmm, wouldn't you like to know." She gave me that devious smile again.

"I really would." I was a bit too eager with that answer.

"Nothing I should be thinking about, dear. This mind." She shook her head as if trying to shake her thoughts. She looked at me and hummed softly. "I should get going."

It looked like something was bothering her all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry." I said as she was about to leave. The disappointment on my face clear as day.

"Sorry for what baby girl?" She was already at the door.

"I clearly upset you." I didn't want her to leave. I wanted her to stay... Stay forever.

"You could never... After yesterday I need to get my head straight." She smiled sadly and left.

She does remember!

Ha-ha her head straight. Nothing straight about those thoughts.

Stop it! This is serious.

Why so serious?

This is really bothering her.

I was alone in the hospital room for the rest of the day. Anna was at school and Dianna had to go to work and apparently gather her thoughts. Was I working on this woman's nerves as much as she was working on mine? I needed to know. I needed to know now.

"Hey there sleep head." The nurse interrupted my train of thought. "How are we feeling today?"

"Much better thank you."

"At this rate, you'll be going home soon. Maybe even by the end of the week. Doctor said that you are recovering well." She was checking some of my charts while talking.

"That's great news. I can't wait." I said excitedly. This means I would have company in the evenings again.

"I'm glad. No fun lying in this room all day, right?"

"No ma'am." I laughed and felt the conversation die out. I took my phone to text Anna the good news.

"Listen, my daughter is... Well she's like you. I can get to come hang around a bit if you want." She was clearly uncomfortable by what she had just said.

Excuse me? Like me? Meaning?

"Sure." I didn't know what else to say. I just wanted her to leave right away. She was making me feel awkward.

"Great. I'll get her to come by a bit later." She nearly skipped out of the room from excitement.

"Okay then..." I mumbled to myself.

.

.

.

"Are you gonna stop faking already and come home?" Anna joked as she came to visit me after school. I burst out laughing and quickly stopped because of the pain.

"That's rude, Anna..." Graham scolded. He was her ride to the hospital in the afternoons.

"Relax, she knows I'm joking. That's our friendship for you. A bowl filled with sarcasm and love..."

"And alcohol of course." I interrupted.

"Of course!" We both laughed. Anna rubbed my arm and turned sad real quick. "I miss you at school Ali Cat. I miss your dinners too..."

"I will be out by the end of the week, don't worry. I guess I won't be back to school for a little while. At least we can watch movies together at night."

"Yeah, that's great. Then you won't be so lonely either."

"Oh, about that. Apparently, Nurse Bridget is hooking me up with her daughter, who is 'just like me'" I made the little finger quotes in the air around her words.

"Shit Sherlock! That's... Nice I guess?" She wasn't sure how to react because she didn't quite know how I felt about it.

"I suppose some company would be nice. Would be nice other faces too. Tired of your ugly ass face all the time." We laughed again. Secretly I wished I could see her beautiful mother's face again...

"Bitch! But listen I have to go. Sleep tight tonight. Just hang in there, the week is almost over." She gave me an awkward hug and left with Graham.

"Love ya!"

"Love ya Ali Cat!" She yelled back. Just as she left, a timid young girl entered the room. She had blonde hair and beautiful hazel eyes. She gave me an awkward smile as she came closer.

"Uh hi..." I tried to break the silence.

"Hi Alison. I'm Tessa. My uh..."

"Mom?"

"Yeah." She giggled and her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.

"So this isn't awkward at all." I thought out loud.

"Right? She just shoved me in here and said I must keep you company." She shook her head and smiled so innocently.
"And here you are, Tessa." I gave her a warm smile.

"Here I am..."

"Might as well tell me about yourself. How old are you? Where are you from? What are your hobbies? 20 Questions!" I tried hard to keep the conversation going to lessen the awkward silences that she gave so well. We talked for nearly two hours when her mom came to call her for them to go home. She was actually quite nice. She is home-schooled, she is 16 which is a year younger than me and she likes to paint. Tessa was more in my league of date-able people. Not the gorgeous Dianna Flynn. Tessa seemed to like me well enough and she even gave me her phone number. Guess I won't know if I don't try, right?